Black Stink Bugs in the California Desert

There are many species of insects in the California Desert. Among them is a little black beetle called the pinacate beetle, also known as the stink bug or the clown beetle. They are part of the genus "eleodes." Eleodes is a Greek word that means "olivelike," which describes their oblong, jet black bodies. Like their common name suggests, these bugs stink.

  1. Locations

    • The stink bug is found in the California Desert and across the western United States, even on islands near California. They live in a variety of ecosystems, including shrubs, open dunes and mountains. They are, however, most abundant in deserts. Deserts, like the California Desert, are home to the largest and most foul-smelling stink beetles.

    Stinky Defense

    • Stink bugs do not have this name by any coincidence. They are capable of producing pungent odors for self defense. When under attack, a stink bug's body will release a stinky discharge at the predator, similar to a skunk. Their method is rather amusing. Stink bugs stand on their heads by bending their front legs down and reaching their back legs out. Once in this position, they shoot out an oily, musty discharge at the attacker. Due to this defense, the stink bug does not have too many predators. However, grasshopper mice have found a way to avoid the stink bug's defense mechanism by grabbing the bug, sticking its rear end into the sand and biting its head off.

    Appearance

    • Stink bugs range in size from .4 inches to 1.4 inches long. The stink bugs found in the California Desert are usually larger than those outside the desert. Although most are jet black, some are dark brown. They are usually oblong and elongated, but sometimes they are more oval or egg-shaped. Their shells can be smooth or coarse to the touch. Like all insect species, stink bugs have six legs, three on each side of the body. They have thick wings, which cover fragile flight wings that the bugs do not use to fly. Stink bug larvae are thin, shiny and green to dark brown in color.

    Behavior

    • During spring, summer and autumn, stink bugs are awake at night. Come winter, they switch to being awake in the day. Stink bugs do not fly, despite having wings under their hard, thick, black shells. They have been observed to aimless walk around the desert. They generally eat the detritus or debris of grass and forbs. Stink bug larvae, also known as false wireworms, are a common pest on commercial crops.